Club member Carson Broome along with alumni Isabella Suarez, Keegan Flury and Augustus Ettore pose beside an astronaut suit at Kennedy Space Center. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Bowman.
Student Astronaut Challenge (SAC) is persevering through difficulties and aiming for the stars. Despite a variety of growing pains, such as finding a new sponsor and rebuilding student leadership, its members are determined to make this year memorable.
“We lost our long-time sponsor this year, and we don’t have any [coaches]. Our current sponsor is Mr. [Philip] Engel,” Vice President Lorelei Patronis said. “Luckily, a lot of people who are currently in Astronaut Challenge have been in the club for long enough that we know how to run it, but it’s a little bit scary not having a dedicated coach and having to rely on each other to coach one another.”
In recent years, SAC reached a peak of about 36 members, but this year’s roster has dropped to 15. The decline is partly due to the graduation of several experienced seniors who once played key leadership roles. Now, the club is working to rebuild its foundation and adapt to the smaller team size.
“Last year, we lost a lot of great seniors who were very experienced in leadership…This year, we will begin to rebuild that team. While having a large club did have many benefits, our smaller club will give us more time to focus on individual success,” President Anson Books said. “By the competition in February, we will all be a very close team.”
In SAC, students simulate running a space shuttle from takeoff to landing, solve hypothetical aerospace emergencies and compete against other teams. Naturally, the club is no stranger to adversity and handling it in stride.
“I’d never heard of [SAC] before, and when I saw the things they were doing, like the simulator, I thought it was pretty neat. The whole idea seemed really unique, and I wanted to be a part of it,” Engel, who teaches English, said. “I want to learn how I can help them so they’ll succeed in the actual competition. I also want to have fun, since it’s my first year.”
Although the club faces obstacles, members remain optimistic and focused on growth. Veteran leaders are determined to rebuild the team while also making SAC a more welcoming environment for new students. They hope their persistence will inspire underclassmen to see the club as both challenging and rewarding.
“When I joined Astronaut Challenge six years ago, it was scary, because it’s really hard to get into if you’re not devoted to it. A lot of times, we’ll see freshmen come in at the beginning of the year and get scared off by how intimidating the challenge looks,” Patronis said. “They’ll think, ‘oh, I could never do something like that,’ but really, you can. It’s such a fun club. This year, I hope to make Astronaut Challenge more welcoming and encourage younger kids to join.”
